Synergy between Membrane Currents Prevents Severe Bradycardia in Mouse Sinoatrial Node Tissue

oleh: Limor Arbel Ganon, Moran Davoodi, Alexandra Alexandrovich, Yael Yaniv

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2023-03-01

Deskripsi

Bradycardia is initiated by the sinoatrial node (SAN), which is regulated by a coupled-clock system. Due to the clock coupling, reduction in the ‘funny’ current (I<sub>f</sub>), which affects SAN automaticity, can be compensated, thus preventing severe bradycardia. We hypothesize that this fail-safe system is an inherent feature of SAN pacemaker cells and is driven by synergy between I<sub>f</sub> and other ion channels. This work aimed to characterize the connection between membrane currents and their underlying mechanisms in SAN cells. SAN tissues were isolated from C57BL mice and Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling was measured in pacemaker cells within them. A computational model of SAN cells was used to understand the interactions between cell components. Beat interval (BI) was prolonged by 54 ± 18% (N = 16) and 30 ± 9% (N = 21) in response to I<sub>f</sub> blockade, by ivabradine, or sodium current (I<sub>Na</sub>) blockade, by tetrodotoxin, respectively. Combined drug application had a synergistic effect, manifested by a BI prolonged by 143 ± 25% (N = 18). A prolongation in the local Ca<sup>2+</sup> release period, which reports on the level of crosstalk within the coupled-clock system, was measured and correlated with the prolongation in BI. The computational model predicted that I<sub>Na</sub> increases in response to I<sub>f</sub> blockade and that this connection is mediated by changes in T and L-type Ca<sup>2+</sup> channels.